Safety in Numbers
by theshipperlogs
Summary: Alex and Bobby end up on vacation together.
1. Chapter 1

Safety in Numbers

A/N: This is pure fluff. I just got back off vacation and felt the need to write. Reviews are very welcome.

Disclaimer: Characters and songs mentioned are not mine. blah blah blah

"Come on Angela, we've had these plans for months…Dan's just being a big baby…No, I can't get the deposit back and the plane tickets are nonrefundable," Alex Eames said into her cell phone. "OK, but you owe me...Yeah…Bye."

Alex snapped her phone shut and sighed loudly.

"Something wrong?" he partner, Robert Goren, asked, glancing up from his paperwork.

"Angela backed out on me. Her husband has the flu and can't take care of the kids by himself. Looks like I will be going to Key West by myself," she said, picking up her pen and going back to her own reports.

"Can't you find someone else to go with you?" he asked, tapping his desk with the pen.

"Not on three days notice," she answered.

"Do you think that's really safe?" he asked, his brow furrowing the way it usually did when he was worried.

Eames looked up and smiled, "I think I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, I just think that there's safety in numbers," he said, still concerned.

"What are you, my mother?" she asked, touched by his concern.

This time it was Goren's turn to smile.

"Just don't want to have to break in a new partner," he teased, going back to the report.

"If you're so concerned, why don't you come with me?" she said, teasing him right back.

"Ok, when do we leave," Bobby mumbled, not even looking up.

Alex's head shot up, surprise registering on her face.

"Are you serious?" she said, her full attention now on her partner.

"Sure, why not? I'm sure the Captain will give me the time off, considering you'll be gone anyway," Bobby answered. "I haven't been diving in a long time. Are you sure you don't mind?"

"No, I don't mind. ...Well, if you're sure," Alex said, half smiling, half smirking at her partner, who even after six years was still full of surprises.

"When's the flight?" he asked, opening his notebook to write down the date and time.

"It's Monday at 7 am," Alex answered. "I have the tickets at my apartment. As well, as a brochure on the hotel."

"How about I get a car service to pick us up at five and drop us off at the airport?" Bobby offered, writing more notes.

Surprised again Alex answered, "That would be great. Angela's husband was supposed to drop us off."

It was at that moment that Alex remembered that she had only reserved one room with two queen beds. She would have to call the hotel and see if she could change the reservation to two singles. Alex signed the last of her paperwork and looked at her watch, 7 pm on a Friday night and their case was solved. Time to go!

"I'm going to head home. Call me if you need anything," she said, standing up and gathering her purse and weapon. "And Bobby, if you change your mind, I'll understand."

Goren didn't respond. He just concentrated on signing the last of his reports so that he could get home and change for his date. But it was then that it occurred to him that maybe Alex hadn't really been serious when she had asked him to come with her on vacation. He was probably one of the things that she wanted to get away from. He would do his best to stay out of her way. _She could have her vacation and he could have his, _he thought and made his way to Deakins' door to plead his case

Sunday afternoon, Alex was folding clothes in her apartment, making little piles of clothes that she wanted to pack and those that she wanted to leave behind. She had called the hotel the night before and had been able to change her reservation. The hotel had upgraded her to an oceanfront hut with its own private beach. The owner of the hotel had had a son on the NYPD who was killed on 9/11 and as soon as he had found out that she was a Major Case detective, he had insisted. The idea of having her own little slice of heaven for a week appealed to her immensely. Long walks in the secluded sand and dips in the cool water. She thought about her partner and his offer of going with her. It had taken her completely by surprise. Bobby didn't really seem like the beach type, but she had learned a long time ago not to make assumptions about Bobby Goren.

Alex held up a bright blue bikini and wondered if she should pack it. She thought about what kind of reaction she might get from Bobby and decided that she should. Why should he be the only one capable of a surprise? The bikini was the first thing she put into the suitcase. She spent the next three hours with her suitcase, itinerary and a bottle of red wine and when the phone rang she was dancing to Jimmy Buffett in a t-shirt and underwear.

"Eames," she answered, giggling into the cell phone.

"It's me," her partner said, on the other end of the line.

"Hey, Bobby, ready to go," she yelled, taking the last drink from her glass.

"I see that somebody has already started hers," he answered, smiling to himself.

"Damn, straight," she said, still dancing and wasting away in her own Margaritaville.

"I just wanted to make sure that it was still ok for me to go," he said nervously.

Alex stopped dancing, "Goren, I swear, if you back out on me, I will exact my painful revenge when I return."

Bobby laughed, "All right, I just wanted to make sure."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," she confessed. "ohhhh I love this song.

He could hear "Cheeseburger in Paradise" blaring through the phone, Alex singing along and wondered what he had gotten himself into.

"Uh, Alex," he yelled. "I'll see you in the morning. Get some sleep."

" 'Kay," she answered and hung up the phone.

Goren had seen Alex drunk before and he had occasionally been the one to be on the buying end of a margarita binge, but he wasn't sure what he was in for, but he was definitely interested in finding out.

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Alex and Bobby sitting on a beach.. .k-i-s-s-i-n-g-..first comes love...then comes...oh you know the rest. Thanks for the reviews.

Pt.2

At five, Alex was sitting on her doorstep waiting for the car. She was wearing her normal work attire and sporting a large pair of dark sunglasses even though it was still dark out.

"Rough night," Goren teased as she got into the car and the driver put her bags in the trunk.

Alex settled into the black leather seats before telling her partner to shove it.

They rode to the airport in silence. Checked in in silence, waited in silence, and finally boarded the plane in silence.

It wasn't until they were sitting in their seats that he spoke to her again.

"Got an early start on the margaritas?" he whispered to his partner who was still wearing the glasses.

"Red wine," she confessed, finally taking off the glasses to reveal bloodshot eyes. "I figured why wait to start my vacation."

"Well, we will be there soon enough," he said, taking a magazine out of his notebook.

"You brought that?" she said glancing at his lap.

"Yeah."

Alex took the notebook from his lap and put it in her carryon and sat back down.

"You can have it back on the flight home," she said satisfactorily.

"Alex, I need that," he protested.

"You can go without it for a week and if you can't …well, tough," she said, putting the sunglasses back on and rolling her head in the opposite direction.

Goren didn't say anything, just went back to his magazine, occasionally looking over at his sleeping traveling companion.

The direct flight was just over three hours and by the time they got to the hotel to check in, it was lunch time. And after enjoying the best seafood meal of her life, Alex inhaled the salt air as she drove an ATV through the sand to their room. She was behind the hotel's owner and Goren was behind her. This was the only way to get to the bungalow and Alex wished she had changed before embarking.

They pulled up to a deck that led to a simulation grass hut that was out in the water.

"I hope you like it. Your bags are already in there and," Joseph Pantini said, giving her the key. "There's a phone if you need anything. I hope you have a good time. This was my son's favorite spot on the beach."

Alex smiled, "I can see why. Thank you so much."

Alex leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Yes, thank you," Bobby said, shaking the old man's hand.

Mr. Pantini saluted and rode away. Leaving Alex and Bobby to one of the most beautiful places either of them had ever been to.

"Shall we check out the room?" Alex said, already climbing the steps to the deck.

Bobby followed her. He had not thought to ask about their sleeping arrangements. He entered right behind her and looked around. It looked like something right out of an episode of Gilligan's Island. There were two twin beds, two night stands, a small refrigerator, and a bathroom with just a standing shower and no tub. There was also a large bowl of fruit and a bottle of tequila.

"I'm sorry," Eames said, looking around. "I called to change the reservation. I thought he said that we would each have our own rooms. I guess in my excitement in getting the private beach I misunderstood. "

"This is fine," he said, looking around. "We each have our own beds."

"Are you sure?" she asked, knowing that they were seriously crossing the boundaries of their partnership.

"We _are_ both adults and what the department doesn't know, won't hurt us," he said unzipping one of his bags and pulling out a white tank top and dark green swim trunks. "And I'm going for a swim. Do you want to join me or do you still have a headache?"

"I am miraculously cured. Let me change, and I will join you," she said, opening her suitcase and finding the bikini.

Alex strutted into the small bathroom and grinned at herself in the mirror. She was going to keep Bobby Goren on his toes if it took everything she had. She quickly shimmied out of her travel clothes and into the small bathing suit. She fluffed her hair in the mirror and added some lip gloss.

"Are you decent?" she yelled before coming out.

"Yeah," Bobby said, tying the waist of his trunks. "But the question is, are you?

Alex walked out confidently in her bikini, watching her partner for his reaction, which was exactly what she had hoped that it would be.

His head spun and he did a double take. The deep blue bikini was a perfect contrast to her pale skin. It was impossible to tell that she had ever given birth to a baby and Alex had curves in all the right places.

"You can shut your mouth now," she teased as she grabbed a towel and her sunglasses.

"Sorry," he replied grabbing a towel of his own and followed her out the door and down the steps.

The water was cool and the sand felt good between her toes. She was grateful for the pedicure that she had sprung for yesterday. Alex waded out into the water and stopped when it was almost waist deep.

"You coming?" she asked, swirling her hand through the water.

"What!" he asked, not sure what she was asking.

Alex laughed, "Are you gonna swim or just stand there?"

Bobby waded further out into the water until he had caught up with her, at which point Alex started swimming. She was a strong swimmer, but Bobby's long and powerful limbs quickly overtook her pace. He was so far ahead that it took him a while to realize that she had turned around and headed back to the beach. By the time he got back, Alex had spread out their towels and was waiting for him.

"You're a good swimmer," she said, putting her sunglasses back on.

"They kind of expect that in the Army," he said, sitting down on his own towel.

Alex held the sunscreen out and pointed to her back. Bobby did as he was told.

"I'm going to untie your top," he said, "you might wanna hold the front."

"What if I don't?" she teased.

"That is up to you," he said, untying the string around her neck.

Alex instinctively held the bikini top in place as Bobby untied the other string and started with the lotion. He made soft gently strokes as he massaged the cream into her back.

"Ahhh," Alex said, closing her eyes and leaning into his touch.

"Pull your hair back," he almost whispered.

Alex used her free hand to pull her hair up off her neck as her partner rubbed the sweet smelling lotion in.

"I think I'm done," he said, handing the bottle back to her.

"Thanks, Bobby," she said, tying the bikini top back in place. "I knew I brought you along for a reason."

"You probably could have had one of those cabana boys come out and do it for you," he answered lying back on his towel.

"Boys don't do it for me. I need a man," she said, opening the bottle of lotion again, only this time she squirted it onto Bobby's chest. "You really should put some of this on."

"Damn, that's cold," he yelped until Alex's hands started rubbing it in, heating him up.

Bobby started helping her rub the lotion in, their hands all over each others.

"Sit up, and I'll do your back," she said when his chest was finished.

Bobby sat up and Alex generously applied the lotion to his broad shoulders. He could feel her small hands on his back and it turned him on more than he would ever admit to her or anyone else for that matter.

"You're all done," she said, "but put some on your face, though."

Bobby rubbed it into his face and lay back down. They lay there for twenty minutes before either of them spoke again.

"Bobby?" Alex said, finally.

"Yeah," he answered glancing over at his partner who was now lying on her stomach with the bikini strings untied again.

"Just so you know…Angela and I had a pact…What happens in Key West, stays in Key West. I'm on vacation, so if I drink a little too much or flirt with the locals a little too much, that's just me on vacation. Ok?" she said, looking up at him.

"Ok," he said. "Same here then."

"…I can't really imagine Vacation Bobby. What's he like?" she laughed.

"You'll see," he warned.

"I don't know if I should be intrigued or scared," she said retying her top and standing up.

"Both," he answered still lying in the sun. "Where are you going?"

"I think I'll explore a little," she said, already half way up the stairs to their room. "Wanna come with me."

Bobby mulled the offer, but had plans in mind of his own.

"I think I'll stay here for a little while longer. Why don't I meet you at the hotel at 8 for dinner?"

"Sounds like a plan," she answered going into the hut. "Just make sure you put more sunscreen on if you go swimming again."

"I'll do that," he answered, closing his eyes as she went inside.

Bobby laid there thinking about his partner, her bikini, her mantra that whatever happened in Key West stayed in Key West. His feelings for her were becoming harder and harder to hide and he knew that it would be almost impossible to do so for the next four days. Being so close to her, touching her…

"Hey, Bobby, you need anything?" Alex yelled, coming down the stairs in a pair of khaki shorts and a pink tank top, sunglasses in her hair.

"No, I'm fine," he said, admiring the already pink glow of her skin.

"I'll see you later then," she said, starting the ATV and heading off down the beach.

Bobby got up and jogged up the stairs into the hut. He had some phone calls to make. This was definitely a vacation that Alex was never going to forget.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Really, sorry that this took longer than I had planned. And, I also said that this would be angst free, well, I lied. Thanks to everybody that has reviewed.

Alex laid her napkin on her plate and pushed it back on the table.

"Bobby, that was wonderful," she said taking another mouthful of wine. "How in the world did you get them to set all of this up out here?"

Alex gestured to their little section of the beach. She had come back from a day of shopping to find a candlelit table set for two, twinkle lights hung around their cabana, soothing music filling the air, and her partner pouring a class of wine.

"I told them of a beautiful woman who deserved a special dinner," he said, playing with his own napkin.

"Well let me know when she gets here so that I can leave. You give a girl all this and you just might get lucky," she said laughing.

He looked up at her smiling.

"I'd take one look at you sitting there with the moon in your hair and the sun on your skin and I wouldn't even notice she was here," he said smoothly, finishing his glass.

"That famous Goren charm," Alex replied, "I see why Denise was so upset when you didn't ask her out again."

"And how would you know that?" he asked, pouring them both another glass of wine.

"Women talk," she replied, smiling and taking her third glass of wine.

"Talk about me?" he said, his curiosity piqued.

"Of course, you have quite the reputation, Detective," she teased.

"I know all about my reputation," he answered quietly. He was known as the weird detective who, up until Alex came along, couldn't keep a partner.

"Not that reputation," she answered playfully.

"So, what kind of reputation are you talking about Ms. Eames?" he said, trying to sound annoyed.

"You know easy on the eyes, charming, perfect gentleman, that reputation, Mr. Goren," she said, playing along.

"And do you agree with that assessment?" he asked, looking at her over the candlelight.

"Well, I'd definitely agree that you're easy on the eyes, with broad shoulders, deep eyes, wavy hair, nice to watch coming or going…" she replied, feeling the wine and a bit of embarrassment. "And you know you're charming, you use it all the time. And I have never known you to be anything other than a perfect gentleman, so I'd say that this is one reputation that you live up to."

"I'm not always the perfect gentleman," he said, his features darkening a little.

"I know otherwise," she protested.

Bobby got up from the table and offered Alex his hand, which she took, and they started walking down the beach.

"If I were a perfect gentleman, I would not have been thinking some of the things that I have been thinking lately," he said looking out into the incoming surf.

"And what would that be?" Alex asked innocently, looking up at him.

"You in that bikini…"

"You're human, Bobby. Looking at a woman in a bikini is normal. I would have been upset if you hadn't looked," she said smacking him on the arm.

"I've just never had a partner like you, Eames," he said, kicking the sand.

"A partner like what?" she replied, curiously.

"A partner that I'd like to…"he said, taking hold of her arm and stopping her.

He hesitated.

"Like to what?" she whispered.

"This is where the not so perfect gentleman part comes in," he confessed.

"Tell me, Bobby," she said, leading him.

"I want you in my bed, Alex. I want to you…I want you…," he said, disgusted with himself for telling her. Bobby started back toward the hut.

"Bobby, wait," Alex said, trying to keep up with his long strides. "Bobby!"

Alex caught up with him and pulled fiercely on his arm.

"Hold on a minute, dammit," she yelled. "You cannot say something like that and then just walk away."

He stopped and looked at her.

"Could you ever believe that I want the same thing? That I want to know what it's like to be the woman you make love to, to wake up in your arms…" she said, angrily.

"Alex, I …."

Alex took his hand and put it on her chest.

"Do you feel that?" she asked, knowing that he could feel her heart dancing in her chest. "That is what I feel for you."

Their eyes locked for a moment and just when he couldn't wait any more his mouth crashed down on hers. She tasted like wine, sweet and acidic, just like her. He deepened the kiss, using his tongue to part her lips, tasting her even more. He put his hand in her hair and another on her back to pull her to him. He could feel her hands going up his back. But before he lost himself any further, he had to pull away from her.

"We can't do this," he protested and started to run. Alex watched him run past their hut and into the dark. She knew that he needed time. He needed to accept that she wanted this as much as he did.

Alex walked back to the table where they had had dinner just a half hour ago. The wind had blown the candle out, but the other lights still hung from the hut. She walked up the stairs and opened the door. She took off her wrap and dress and slipped into one of Bobby's white shirts. It smelled like him, his cologne.

"I couldn't runaway," he said, standing in the door, catching his breath. "Not this time."

Bobby stepped in and closed the door and leaned against it with is eyes closed. Alex walked over to her partner and buried her head in his chest. He didn't even notice that she had unbuttoned his shirt until she was at the last one.

"Alex…Eames…"

"There's no going back to Eames, so don't even try," she whispered, slipping his shirt off. Alex kissed his chest. Lingering over his nipples, she felt him shudder. As her lips moved over his body, her fingers undid his shorts and they fell to the floor. She turned around and pulled his arm over shoulder.

"Come on, Bobby, let's get some sleep," she said, as she laid down in his twin bed. He joined her and pulled her close enough so that they were not in any immediate danger of falling out and fell asleep.

TBC……


End file.
